The momentum was no longer going Weequahic's way in the fourth quarter and what seemed like a sure victory was about to slip away.

Stephanie Davis had been battling in the paint for most of the game and saw an opportunity to take a control and make a play up top.

With 1:26 remaining, Davis picked off a pass and proceeded to make a foul shot to break a tie and give eighth-seeded Weequahic the lead for good in a 39-37 victory over ninth-seeded West Orange in the first round of the Essex County Tournament yesterday in Newark.

"I knew we had to get back," said Davis, who finished with five points, seven rebounds and four steals. "We had to calm down and get a steal. I just concentrated and saw where everybody was. I looked and when I saw the ball go up, I found a man and I guess I caught the steal in time."

Weequahic moves on to face top-seeded Shabazz, No. 1 in The Star-Ledger Top 20, in the quarterfinals next Saturday. Shabazz defeated Montclair Kimberley, 67-34, in the first round.

Davis secured the trip with a heady play on defense.

The game was tied at 34 and Davis alertly poked away a pass near the half-court line and got the steal. She was fouled shortly after and made the second of two free-throw attempts to give Weequahic a one-point lead.

Davis, who also had responsibilities down low in trying to contain West Orange’s Chisom Amaefuna, was one of the many contributors on offense along with Najera McCloud (nine points, 18 rebounds) Tiffany Mitchem (eight points and four steals) and Kiett (eight points).

"I think Stephanie is the key to this team because of her energy," Weequahic coach Amiri Baraka said. "She brings an energy that no one else brings. Nicole (Kiett) is the glue that keeps everyone composed."

Alyssa Almario continued to test the limits of her range, hitting hit five 3-pointers on her way to 16 points and four steals while Amaefuna battled through foul trouble to get eight points and 13 rebounds for West Orange, which had won nine straight.

It was the third meeting of the season between the teams, all of which have been decided in the fourth quarter. West Orange won the last time, 43-38, on Tuesday and Weequahic won the first game on Jan. 5 by the same score.

It was not looking to finish that way this time, but it quickly changed in the final eight minutes.

West Orange trailed by as many as 15 points in the third quarter and had only 16 points heading into the fourth.

The team then came to life with a 16-6 run in the fourth and knotted the game at 34-34 when Almario found Amaefuna on an in-bounds play underneath the basket with 1:34 left. Almario had 13 points in the quarter, including four 3s during the run.

"We're a fourth-quarter team," West Orange coach Kim Wilson said. "It's hard when you play a team three times in a season, especially twice in a week. They know us and we know them."